While I have never been a hard-core backpacker, once or twice a year for the last decade or so my husband, Pete, and I have hauled out the maps and the Therm-a-rest pads and the requisite bottle of tequila and sought out the wild places where car campers dare not go - places where we could see stars, bright white against the night sky, undiluted by the glow of RV generators.

After I had my son, Rowan, I used to daydream about backpacking a lot. I think this was in part because when your life consists of hauling around 20-pound boxes of diapers and car seats and Costco-size cartons of goldfish crackers, the idea that you'll ever be able to go anywhere again with your entire household on your back seems about as likely as uttering a sentence that doesn't involve the phrase, "Be careful."

Finally, when Rowan turned 6, we decided to take our first baby steps back into the woods. We did this despite conventional wisdom that says if REI doesn't make a backpack small enough to hang in the vicinity of your kid's spinal column, maybe they're trying to tell you something.

Our destination was Little Boulder Lake in the Trinity Alps of Northern California, which we chose for a number of reasons. For one, though the Trinity Alps region lies about two hours west of the city of Redding, many people (Californians included) have barely heard of it, which generally translates to uncrowded trails and easy-to-snag premium campsites.

For another, when you're traveling with a kid who's been burned a few times with the promise that "we're almost there," the ratio of hiking distance to water-based rewards should be at least 2-1. With its trout-stocked lakes, rippling streams, myriad waterfalls and granite-ringed basins perfect for beginning rock climbers and stone skippers, Trinity Alps is a dream destination for the short-attention-span set.

Though it's a little challenging to get to the trailhead - 11 miles of driving up a dirt logging road - the hike to Big and Little Boulder Lakes is a relatively easy 2 miles. We kept Rowan entertained with an epic round of "I Spy," in which we named (and found) just about every form of flora and fauna in the field guide. Luckily, the Trinity Alps is home to some 20 varieties of conifers alone, and once you've exhausted those, there are wildflowers, birds, rocks, lizards and rodents - enough fodder to get you at least a mile before you have to dig into the M&Ms bag. (Though the thrill factor was high, I decided not to mention that Trinity County also ranks among the highest in the nation for Bigfoot sightings.)

For a novice, Rowan did admirably well, whining occasionally about the heat and the hard hills, and refusing to carry his pack (which held exactly one water bottle and a pair of pants) only when the thing sagged so low down his back that it banged into his knees.

It was all forgotten once we arrived at the lake. We found a spot in the trees just above granite boulders that surrounded the deep, blue water and watched trout jump for their mosquito dinner. That night, after we'd stuffed ourselves on freeze-dried turkey tetrazzini and s'mores (pre-assembled and individually wrapped to ensure no leftovers for marshmallow-loving bears), we fell asleep counting shooting stars.

Over the next couple of days, Pete and I patted ourselves on the back for remembering to bring things like a deck of cards, a pint-size fishing net and a light stick that you can hang from the top of your tent, but we kicked ourselves more than a few times for overlooking some other, obvious kid-friendly provisions.

Here's a checklist of essentials we came up with to ensure happy trails for baby backpackers and tequila drinkers alike:

-- Mac's laminated field guides (available at REI). These single, illustrated sheets are easy to carry and come in very handy for a game of Name That Wildflower.

-- Likewise, C.E. Thompson's Glow in the Dark Constellations: A Field Guide for Young Stargazers (available at most national park stores), will provide hours of connect-the-dots entertainment.

-- Walky-talkies. They're not only a fun way for kids to give frequent advance scouting reports (mostly in the form of farting noises), but they're indispensable in the event your kid wanders out of earshot.

-- An iPod loaded with stories and favorite songs. It's a godsend at the end of an exhausting day of hiking (and worrying about potentially fatal trail hazards), offering much-needed down time (for both adults and kids). Pull out the flask and call it happy hour.

-- And don't forget: Lots of extra fishing lures, easy-off water sandals, dry lemonade mix, a big plastic ice-cream scoop for digging your personal latrine and a bear whistle (partly because it's a good idea, and partly because it's great to annoy parents with). REI and Sports Basement make kid-size convertible SPF pants (another essential) that come with a compass and whistle attached.

If you go

GETTING THERE

From Interstate 5 in Redding, take Highway 299 west 45 miles to Weaverville, then head north 38 miles on Highway 3 to Coffee Creek. The logging road to Boulder Lakes trailhead is less than a mile south of Coffee Creek.

WHERE TO STAY

Eagle Creek Campground near Trinity Center sits directly on the Trinity River and makes a great pre- or post-trek base camp. The 49er Gold Country Innin the old mining town of Weaverville (718 Main St., www.goldcountryinn.com) isn't fancy, but it's clean, air-conditioned, and has the all-important pool; rates are about $90 for a double.